Most people have encountered headaches at one time or another. But have your headaches ever been so bad or lasted so long that you think they might be a migraine? How do you tell the difference?
When it comes to pain or pressure in your head, knowing the difference between common headaches and migraines can help you more quickly find lasting relief.
Headaches
While usually unpleasant, headache pains range from mild to severe and usually occur on both sides of your head. Sometimes the area where you feel a headache is more specific, such as your forehead, temples, or back of the neck. Often, whatever is causing your headache will determine where you feel pain in your head.
Mayo Clinic notes that the most common type is a tension headache, which is triggered by stress, muscle strain, and anxiety. It usually is felt as a tight band around your head.
These headaches can be treated with over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).
While tension headaches are the most common, they aren’t the only type that you can experience. For more information on other types of headaches, their causes, and their typical locations, visit the National Headache Foundation’s Complete Headache Chart.
Migraines
What sets them apart? Well, in addition to the typical head pain felt when experiencing a headache, migraines are much more intense and severe, with symptoms including:
- Nausea
- Pain behind one eye or ear
- Pain in the temples
- Seeing flashing lights or spots
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Temporary vision loss
- Vomiting
Migraines commonly cause pain and symptoms so severe that people go to the ER in search of relief. Often, migraines affect only one side of the head, although it is possible for one to affect both sides.
Many patients report one of the biggest differences that sets migraines and headaches apart is the degree and type of pain they cause. Migraines bring a more intense, throbbing pain that makes participating in daily routines extremely difficult. In addition, migraines can last four to 72 hours, making what seems to be a short, manageable headache turn into days of throbbing pain.
Some people experience an “aura” before they get a migraine. For people who get them frequently, they can tell a migraine is coming by sensations or “aura” they feel, usually occurring 10 to 30 minutes before an episode. According to Healthline, these sensations include feeling less mentally alert, having trouble thinking, seeing flashing lights or unusual lines, feeling tingling or numbness in the face or hands, and having an unusual sense of smell, taste, or touch.
Many migraine sufferers experience symptoms a day or two before feeling the migraine coming on. Healthline notes these subtle signs include:
- Constipation
- Depression
- Frequent yawning
- Irritability
- Neck stiffness
- Unusual food cravings
There are various factors that serve as “triggers” for people who experience migraines, such as:
- Emotional anxiety
- Contraceptives
- Alcohol
- Hormonal changes
- Menopause
If you think you might be prone to migraines, talk to your doctor to make sure you get the treatment you need to ease your head and mind.